Foldable table leg mounting



Jan. 11, 1944'. N. wAslr-:wlcz "Er Al. 2,338,189

FOLDABLE TABLE LEG MOUNTING l Original Filed March 30, 1942 Patented Jan. 11, 1944 t OLDABLE` TABLE LEG MOUNTING Chicago, Ill., assig'nors to American Wo'd' Broducts, a copartnershpA consisting' of Nicholas' Wasiewicz and Al'v J. Majcherek OriginalV application March" 17942,;Seifiall-lo.

436,866, Divided and this application June 15,

1942, Serial N. 447,086

(c1. enf-r11) or pivoted legmounting for tables or other arti-` cles of furniture so as to eliminate the necessity of using any metal in the mounting for securingthe legin position. y

The inventionv has for its object the provision of amounting for tablelegs and the like which is made entirely of Wood and which isY adaptable` to vlegs, for tables, stands, or other articles'of furniture, particularly where the leg is collapsible or foldable, that is, pivoted to swing as if on a hinge to permit folding or collapsing of the table or other article of furniture, such as card tables and the like, whereby the same may be compactly' folded to occupy a small amount of space for storage or shipment purposes.

Another object ofthe invention isV to providea novel and improvedV leg mounting for articles of furniture, such astables and the like, in which tl'e top is provided'with means to removably receive or pivotally mount the legs or other corresponding part of a piece of furnituravand in which further means is provided to securely fasten or wedge the leg in operative position without wobbling or getting loose, thereby giving4 a firm-structurev-while also4 permitting easy and convenientv disconnectionthereof for removal tol disassemble or fold the-table or other article' of furniture, but which when set up Will remain firmly in position against accidental displacement, or disconnection, andwhich will be strong,

durable, and not likelyl toget outV of working order, and is economical to manufacture and as- 'Ihis application is-a division of our prior application for patent on Table leg mountings, Serial- No. 436,866, led 'March 30, 1942. A a

Further objects and' advantages Awill appear andbe brought out more fully in the following specification, referencebeinguhadto the accompanying drawing, inwhich: l t Fig. 1 isan inverted plan View of our improved leg mounting as' applied toa table or standrf v Fig. 2 is` a verticalsection taken on theL line 2 2 0f Fig. 1.

Fig. Sis a-ver'tical'sectional elevation taken onl une-3 3 'einig'.v 1. n

Fig.` l is a horizontal cross section taken on Ythe linee-E- of Fig. 3. t Y

Fig. 5 is a detailed view of an upper end of a leg: and.' Fig. 6 is a detailed view of a Wedgegkey'employed in the mountingior securing theV leg'in position.

nated oifoi` veneer, but maybeof any othersuitable material, composition, or plasticmThe' taJoleV toplo is shown vasI round 4and having a drop panelor side H of curved formation. panel" is l provided at Y thev inside wthuspacd, parallel lvertical pieces or cleatsy I2, Awhichrrnay be of wood or plastic, and like thel previous con-A struction vrnayxloe of Vmultiple ply,y plywood .or 1min@tot.and` werbe glued 0r oihe'rwse'fa's? tened tothe bottom surface of thel top I0 and the inner surfacev oi lthe panel llas indicated at i3. The vertical edges at lull may becurved or' beveled to lt the drop panel vorrail Il. The legs are designated atnl and may be of-any suitable shape ,lengthwise and cross-sectional shapeV or contour, and groovedm or ornamented at the outsidemorV face kas indicated atk It'n to y22 therethrough by which .thewlegr is pivotally connected to the pieces or strips l2 forming the box, socket or opening by-means of the pin 22 extending through and xed 'iny aligned openings 23' transversely through the' strips I2 adjacent theupper and outer corners of the strips'and the bottom surface' of the top l0. However`, it"

is'- toy be understood that the wooden pivot pin may be fixed 'either inthe leg or`st`rips,'or turn in either; Thus, the legis pivoted or hinged to l move to an operative position in'which the shoulder i9 'will lengage :the bottom edge of the panelv Il, and lirnitthemovement'thereof to'an upY right supporting positioniwhere both the" leg andthe panel and'thus the top will be braced rigidly.v The legs may be in lineA or; staggered, that is out of alignment to permit folding thereof atA opposite` sidesor points, or atthe' corners of the table or Iother structure'. The' back or inner edgeiofthezleg 'is nlQvidedowth a trans,-

` verse 'keywam 'groove org recess lGrand the' strips or pieces l2 are provided at theirbottom edges with aligned slots, keyways, recesses or grooves 25 open at the bottom to register with the transverse groove, keyway or recess 24, to take a tapered key or Wedge 26 at the narrowest end thereof and having a corresponding hand piece or right angular end 21 at the widest end. Thus, by forcing the wedge into position into the slots, recesses or grooves 24 and 25, the leg will be securely held in a rigid upright supporting position. However, by removing the wedge running transversely and horizontally across `the piece or strips l2 and the legs l5, the legs of a table or the like may be readily swung inwardly and upwardly on their pivots or hinges to permit the structure to be collapsed or folded compactly and held by the key (see Fig. 3) for storage or shipment while occupying a minimum of space. Also, the strips or pieces I2 may be reenforced or braced by triangular cornered pieces 28 between the bottom surface of the top l0 and the outer surfaces of the strips or pieces l2 and glued or otherwise secured in position as at 29.

t will be seen that by this construction an improved, strong and simple mounting and fastening for the leg is provided without the necessity of using metal parts, particularly of an expensive character or otherwise as generally employed in such structure, which is especially desirable not only because of the efficient construction but because it permits manufacture without available metals or metal fittings in ordinary times, but which at the present time are unattainable. It also obviates chiseling, metering or cutting of the Wood to receive special metal fittings, parts or hinges, and is particularly desirable at a time when there is a shortage of metals. This construction also eliminates the necessity of using any metal parts whatsoever in the construction while giving a strong, rigid and economical structure capable of manufacture to advantage and with facility.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred form` of composition for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. We, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of ccnstruction set forth, but desired to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

`Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An article of furniture, a top, a socket beneath the top, a leg pivoted in the socket, said leg and a wall of said socket having aligned transverse recesses with opposed walls and a wedge forced into said recesses between said opposed walls to hold the leg in operative position.

2. An improved leg mounting for tables and the like, comprising the combination with a top having drop sides, a box on the under side of the top and having an opening, there being a slot in the box, a leg pivoted in the opening, there being horizontal recesses in the leg and box at the slot, and a horizontal wedge engaging said recesses to secure the leg in position.

'3. An article of furniture including a top, walls carried by the top forming a leg receiving opening, a supporting member pivoted in said opening and having a recess at one edge, at least one wall having a recess opposing the aforesaid recess and a tapered key horizontally engaging said recesses to secure the supporting member at right angles to the top in upright position.

4. An improved table leg or like mounting including a horizontal supporting surface, strips beneath said surface forming a slot, a leg pivotally mounted in an opening formed by the strips adjacent the slot and having a recess horizontally in one edge, said strips having recesses opposing the aforesaid recess and a wedge forced into the recesses at the slot.

v 5. An improved table leg mounting or the like including a horizontal supporting surface, strips beneath said surface forming an opening and a,

slot, a leg pivotally mounted in said opening to move through the slot and having a transverse recess in one edge, at least one of the strips having a groove opposing the recess, and a tapered key tightly engaged in the opposed groove and recess to removably secure the leg in supporting position.

6. An improved table leg mounting, a top with drop sides, a box beneath the top and forming a socket with said sides, a table leg pivoted in said socket, said box having a vertical opening at one side, and the table leg having a transverse groove and one side of the box having a groove with a beveled wall and a wedge engaging said grooves.

7. In a leg mounting for tables or the like, a top having a drop panel, strips secured to said top and drop panel and forming a leg receiving opening, a leg pivoted therein to said strips and having a groove at one edge, at least one of said strips having a groove opposite the aforesaid groove, and a Wedge key in said grooves and having an angular end.

S. In a leg mounting for tables or the like, a top having a drop side, strips secured to said top and drop side and forming a leg receiving opening, a leg pivoted therein to said strips and having a groove at one edge, said leg having a shoulder engaging the drop side, said strips having a recess and a wedge disposed in the recess and groove at the opening to hold the leg removably in an upright position and permit folding thereof when disengaged.

9. An article of furniture entirely of wood, a top, a drop side therefor, strips attached thereto and depending therefrom, said strips forming an opening open at the bottom and having slots, an upright support pivoted in the opening and having a notch in horizontal alignment with the slots and a key forced into the slots and notch between opposed Walls thereof.

10. In an article of furniture, atop having drop panels, strips anchored to the top and panels and forming a socket therewith and a slot, a standard having one end pivoted in the socket and having a recess across at least one face, and a tapered key wedge in the slot and recess.

11. A leg mounting for tables and the like having a top and drop sides at right angles, strips normal to the top and sides with a slot between and forming a leg socket, one strip having beveled transverse recess opening linto the slot, a leg pivoted in the socket and having a transverse recess opposing the aforesaid recess, and a wedge forced into the recesses through the slot to rigidly and removably secure the leg in position.

12. A leg mounting for tables having a drop side, parallel strips anchored to the top and side and having bottom slots, a pin mounted through the strips, a leg having a rounded end p-ivoted horizontally on the pin between the strips and having a cut-out forming a stop shoulder engaged against the bottom edge of the drop side,

said leg having a transverse groove at the opposite edge at the space between the strips and slots therein, and a Wedge forced into the slots and groove to hold the leg rigid but to permit folding thereof on the pin when the wedge is removed.

13. In combination, a table top, a dependent apron member, blocks secured to said table top and to said apron member defining therebetween a leg-receiving socket, a leg having its upper end inserted in said socket, means pivotally securing said leg to said blocks, said leg and said blocks having registering substantially horizontal keyways, a wedge forced into said registering keyways, and an abutment member on said leg` engaging said dependent apron member.

14. A leg mounting structure for tables and other articles of furniture comprising means including two spaced members on the underside of the table top defining a socket, a leg inserted in said socket, said members having keyways and a Wedge forced into said keyways to bridge across between the two members and to force by its Wedging action the leg against one side of the socket.

' 15. In combination, a table top, a dependent apron member, blocks secured to said table top and to the said apron member dening therebetween a leg-receiving socket, a leg having its upper end inserted in said socket, means pivotally securing said leg to said blocks, said leg and said blocks having registering substantially horizontal keyways at least one of which is provided with a taper on one side, a Wedge forced into said registering keyways, and an abutment member on said leg engaging said dependent apron member.

16. A leg mounting structure for tables and other articles of furniture comprising means including two spaced members on the underside of the table top defining a socket, a leg inserted in said socket, said members having keyways and a tapered key forced into said keyways to bridge across between the two members and to force by its taper action the leg against one side of the socket.

NICHOLAS WASIEWICZ. STANLEY B. CZARNECKI. 

